Link belt unloader



Sept. 21, 11948. A ER 2,449,543

LINK BELT UNLOADER Filed March 1, 1944 l7 l5 /0 73 Arnold Bunker Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNITED STATE s PATENT orrice amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any "royalty thereon.

' The invention relates to means for unloading cartridges from metallic link belts, and its object is to provide an extremely simple device which may be used as a part of a standard manually operated link loading machine, to the end that no special machine need be constructed, but by the simple expedient of laying, inserting, or applying an element to the standard loader the latter is converted to an unloader of highly ef icient function. i

As is well understood, ammunition for machine guns is assembled in belts of suitable length which are engaged by the automatic loading mechanism of the gun to feed the same to the chamber and firing mechanism of the gun.

These belts consist of metal cartridge-clasping links separate from each other, but held together by the cartridges inserted therethrough. This form of ammunition is used in .30 caliber and .50 caliber guns, and the .50 caliber ammunition is practically all supplied in belt form. At the manufacturing plants, and in the field, for purposes of inspection, or to supply rounds in small number for single shots or limited practice, instructlonal and other uses, it is frequently necessary to unload the belts of their cartridges, sometimes in considerable numbers. As considerable force is required to disengage the cartridges from the links (approximately or 12 lbs. pressure on each), it is practically essential when a considerable quantity isto be unloaded, to employ leverage to withdraw the rounds from the links, and to effect this in gangs, to economize time since the extent of such service does not warrant use of automatic or power operated machines. In a standard manual link loader leverage devices are available for the application of the necessary force in the required extent of movement, and it is thereforea paramount object of this invention to present a simple article which by being merely set in place on the usual cartridge-receiving base plate of the loader will cause the loader to function as an extractor, with corresponding advantages in ease and rapidity of work. It is a further important aim to so construct the device that it will be rugged and not liable to damage or deterioration by severe use.

In addition, it is sought to obviate the need for change of structure or operative relations of the parts of the loader, and to eliminate the need for use of tools .or fastenings in applying my in-.

vention to the loader, but to enable this to be done manually, and with certainty as to the proper positioning of the parts for the desired iunctionsQwithout requiring special mechanical ability or knowledge on the part of the worker applying and using the invention.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention; as will be readily apparentfrom the following description and ac compan'ying drawings wherein: c

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a link loader with my invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig; 3 is a top'view of the accessory alone; I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification of the accessory.

While my invention may be embodied in a special machine for exclusive use as an unlo'ader,

it is consideredpreferable to use it as apart of the conventional loader, so that the latter may be'alterna'tively used as an unloader also; and the structure necessary for the one embodiment will be understood from a disclosure 'of the other.

The loader customarily consists of a bed plate I0 ofjrectangular form, across and against/one end edge of which a stop II 'is bolted, having up"- standing abutments or lugs I2 spaced at intervals corresponding to those of cartridges in the belt The'bed plate is formed with a number of parallel channels I 3 alined with the spaces between the lugs I2 and atright angles to the stop I I, ex-

' tending from the stop a distance slightly greater than the length of a "cartridge bullet); I 7

At the opposite side of the plate II] from the stop H a bail lever I4 is pivoted at the extremity of its 'arms' 22. The bight portion of the bail member constitutes an operating'handle'flt. slide I6 is mounted on the top side of the: plate ill having inturned flanges I'I engaging around and under horizontal side flanges I3 at respective sides of the plate extending from the stop I I to near the opposite side of the base plate.

This slide carries a cross bar or pusher I9 extending entirely across the base plate and having a vertical planiform face 20 parallel to the stop I I. The slide is connected to the bail lever by links 2| at each side pivoted on the inner sides of the base arms 22 of the bail and between respective pairs of ears 23 extended upwardly from the bar I'9 near each end of the latter.

The distance of the pivots of the links on the lincluding its 3 arms 22 from the fulcrum pivots of the bail on the base plate is such that when the lever is lowered to a small angle to the plate, in usual loading operation, the bar I9 is spaced from the stop ll approximately the length of the cartridge case 25, and when the bail is raised to a maximum, the bar is spaced from the stop more than the length of a complete round.

My invention in the instant embodiment comprises a comb-like frame 25, consisting of a flat rectilinear across bar 27 laid removably over and spaced above and horizontally across the channels l3 and beyond, its rear edgeresting against the abutments l2. Set on edge and secured rigidly .to the underside of this cross bar here are planiform vertical parallel plates or fingers, extending at right angles to the bar, and having a length slightly less than the length of the case of the cartridge; The fingers have a thickness horizontally somewhat less than the spacing be- .tweenmutual'ly adjacent cases of rounds in a belt of ammunition, and the height of these fintridge case. The length, height, and thickness members of thelinks and the bullets lie free in the smaller clasp members. cases move freely under the bar 21 as far as necessary, but the bullets remain loosely in the links. The rounds are thus completely freed and may be gathered and disposed of as desired while the links, loose and detached from each m y'combirame may be regarded as a unitary machine which may be constructed as such if desired, and the specific disclosure here made,

. while'representing the best embodimentof my gers is about equal to the diameter of the car of these fingers mayvary considerably without impairing the function of the device. The fingers are spaced at the same intervals as the. abutments l2, and consequently rest. on the respective rib parts 29 between the channels I3. If desired one or more; finger lugs 30 may be formed at the rear side of the crossbar 21. of thecomb device 28', as in Fig. i, to facilitate alinement of the ,fing ers between the channels I3, and prevent lateral movement of the cross bar. The .comb frame may be regarded as a continuation of the abutment devices when set in place, and part of a'supportmeans including the base plate. it].

In use, a loader as described is setin position i on table or other support and my comb frame set thereon as shown. While the comb frame may be rounds tend to quickly adjustthemselves between the fingers, and it is not essential that the fingers be accurately a-lined with the ribs 29, although it is desirable that the fingers be within .the lateral limits of the base plate.

The belt being positioned, the rounds will lie in, or tend to adjust themselves in, the channels [3, and the lever I4 is then swung toward the stop H and downwardly. This brings the bar I9 against the tips of the bullets'pressing the belt toward the comb frame until the fingers engage the links between the cartridges. Thereafter, continued movement of the lever presses the rounds through the links until the neck portions of the cases are moved into the larger clasp invention known to me, nevertheless is purely exemplary so that modifications of construction and arrangement, substitution of materials and equivalentsmechanical and otherwise may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim, whereinI claim:

A. link belt unloader for use with a linkbelt loader having a support for the rounds and links,

' means .for urging the rounds rearwardly longitudinally on the support, and abutment means g sitioned on said support against saidabutment and having secured to the underside thereof a plurality ofplaniform vertical parallel plates extending at right anglesto said bar-and arranged to extend between the rounds with their front ends in position to engage the links and strip them from the rounds when said rounds are moved rearwardly, said crossbar being provided with'means adjacent its ends for engaging said support to prevent lateral movement of the "crossbar relative thereto and maintain the alignment of the plates between the rounds.

ARNOLD BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: U v

UNITEDSTATES PATENTS The bases of the. 

